The Government has announced its responses to ACIP’s reviews of: post-grant Patent enforcement; and enforcement of plant breeder’s rights. On a quick skim, the main recommendation to introduce a Patents Tribunal to determine “IP” disputes has been found non-viable due to the limitations on the Commonwealth’s repository of judicial powers. With WIPO’s arbitration and mediation service in mind, however, IP Australia is to work with alternative dispute resolution providers to.. Read More

ACIP’s interim report on Post-Grant Patent Enforcement Strategies is now available on the internet (pdf). The main recommendation is that: Proposal 1: That IP Australia establish an IP dispute resolution centre along the lines of WIPO’s Arbitration and Mediation Center, which in the first instance focuses on patent disputes. Funding for the centre should be on a “user pays” basis. A number of “implementation” recommendations hang off that. For example:.. Read More